Download Ch 13 World War I

Ch 13 World War I (aka The Great War) 1914-1918
13/1 Marching Towards War (**Don’t forget Mr. Dowling (p. 1-3 A Powder Keg I Europe in
1914.) & WWI ppt)
Key Idea – In Europe, military buildup, nationalistic feelings, and rival alliances led to a
continental war.
 MILITARISM ALLIANCES IMPERIALISM NATIONALISM RACISM
Powder Keg-The Balkans (mountain region in SW Europe)
Fuse- Racial unrest btwn Austria/Hungary and Serbia
Spark- Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife
Boom- Beginning of World War I.
1.
a. Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismark had used war previously as a tool to unify
Germany.
b. Saw France as the greatest threat to maintaining peace in Europe. His goal was to
isolate France from allies to minimize threat.
2. Von Bismark formed Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria/Hungary, & Italy.)
3. Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany forces Bismark to resign (didn’t want to share his power
with anyone). Also wanted to show the world how powerful Germany had become.
4. Kaiser Wilhelm let treaty with Russia lapse. Russia responds by forming defensive
alliance w/ France. *( puts Germany in the middle of the 2 allies - Russia on the Eastern
Front and France on the Western Front. ( examine map!!)
5. Wilhelm challenges British navy w/ ship building pgm to make German navy = British.
6. This causes Britain to form Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Britain)
7. “Powder Keg” – Ottoman Empire (including Balkan region ) in rapid decline.
a. A/H & Serbia disputing over Balkan Peninsula in an effort to extend their borders (*
heavy Slavic pop.
b.
Austria took over Bosnia & Herzegovina-Serbia upset. Serbia had previously
acquired additional territory and was now feeling stronger and more eager to take
Bosnia from Austria.
c. A/H threatens to crush any Serbian effort to undermine its authority in the Balkans.
8. Archduke Ferdinand and his wife assassinated by Black Hand (Serbian terrorist group).
A/H blames Serbia and declares war.
9. Russia mobilizes troops (because of alliance with Serbia)toward Austrian border.
13/2 Europe Plunges into War (**Mr Dowling p. 3-5 The Conflict Widens- A Separate
Peace.)
Key Idea – One European nation after another was drawn into a large and
industrialized war that resulted in many casualties.
1. Alliance systems throughout Europe set off chain reaction.
a.
Russia, Serbia’s ally mobilized along the German border. Germany perceived this
as a declaration of war.
b.
This caused Germany to declare war on Russia. Because Russia and France were
allies, Germany also declared war on France.
2. Germany employs Schlieffen Plan – German army would race to defeat France on
western border, and then return to fight Russia in the east. Speed was essential to
their plan.
3. Germany wanted to pass through Belgium ( neutral country) on the way to France.
Belgium refused, Germany invaded Belgium, which brought Great Britain into the war.
They declared war on Germany.
4. Central Powers (Germany, A/H, Bulgaria, & Ottoman Empire) form. Allies (Great Britain,
France, Russia, Japan,, & Italy) form as well.
5. *Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand was the single biggest incident leading to the
start of WWI.
6. The war is fought in northern France (Western Front) and on German/Russian border
(Eastern Front).
a. Western Front – 1st Battle of the Marne probably single most impt event of the war.
French military acquired info telling them exact direction German army was about to take.
Forced German army to retreat, ruining the Schlienfen Plan. German perception of quick
victory now changed into a long war on 2 fronts.
b. Use of New Technology
1. **Trench Warfare 2.**Machine Guns 3.**Poison Gas 4.**Plane warfare
c. Eastern Front- Germans (& Austrian army) crushed Russian army & sent them into full
retreat. Russian economy had not yet become industrialized –MAJOR setback!!!
-Continually short on food, ammo and supplies. (German naval blockade of Baltic Sea
prevented shipping supplies to Russian ports.)
-Led up to enormous losses – 2 million in 1915 alone. Russia’s biggest asset was it’s
population size…able to rebuild it’s from its enormous population.
-Major concern for & her allies…fighting spreading beyond Europe into Africa, SE & SW
Asia.
13/3 A Global Conflict (**Mr.Dowling p.3-5 America Enters the Great War – Allied
Victory)
Key Idea – World War I spread to several continents and used the full resources of many
governments.
1. More countries entering the war. Ottoman Turks and Bulgaria allied with Germany and
Central Powers. Japan and Italy Join allies (***Italy only country to change alliances.
Started with Central Powers and changed to Allied powers!
2. Allies looking for a fast way to end the war. Proposal…attack the Dardanelles – a narrow
sea strait that appeared to serve as the gateway to Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire.
(** p.417) The effort to take it was called the Gallopoli Campaign. Allies believed that by
controlling this region would allow them to establish a direct supply line to Russia. Huge
casualties, ended up in a bloody stalemate.
3. Unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany pushes U.S. closer to entering the war.
(** sinking of the Lusitania.)
4. Zimmerman Note – British intercepted and decoded msg stating Germany enticing
Mexico to ally with Germany and “recover” land it had lost to U.S.
5. Zimmerman note + submarine last straw, & finally forces U.S. to enter war (April
1917**)
6. U.S. employs “total war”, rationing, and propaganda concepts to fight war.
7. Women played significant role in replacing deployed men.
8. Food and fuel shortages posed big problems for Russia govt. Forced Czar Ni Russian
army to withdraw from the war (*led to Russian Revolution!!)
9. Second revolution in Russia brings Vladimir Lenin and Communist party to power.
**Treat of Brest-Litvosk ended war btwn German and Russia. Req’d Russia to surrender
lands to Germany that now include Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, &
Lithuania.(** See before/after WWI map. Very impt!!!!)
10. Second Battle of the Marne (BIG TURNING POINT!!!)- Germany’s push to reach
Marne River had weakened it’s army. Allies (including over 2 million American troops)
launched counterattack. Central Powers began to crumble. Eventually, Kaiser Wilhelm
forced to step down.
11. Armistice is signed (11 am 11/11/18) bringing WWI to an end.
13/4 A Flawed Peace (Mr. Dowling p.5 & 6 Allied Victory.)
Key Idea- After winning the war, the Allies dictated a harsh peace that left many nations
feeling betrayed.
1. War is over, but still need to work out the terms of the peace agreement.
2. Conference held at Palace of Versailles (outside Paris). The major decisions were made
by the Big Four(Woodrow Wilson (U.S.), Georges Clemenceau (France),David Lloyd
George (Great Britain), and Vittorio Orlando (Italy).
3. Wilson’s plan known as his 14 points.
a. Points 1-5 … to end secret treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade, and reduced
national armies and navies.
b. Points 6-13 were specific suggestions for changing borders and creating new nations.
Self determination was the guiding idea behind these points.
4. France and Britain wanted to severely punish Germany and strip it of its war making
power. France and Britain had different aims than those of the U.S., which caused big
arguments. Finally reached compromise, and the Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28
June 1919.
5. The adoption of the 15th point led to creation of League of Nations (predecessor to the
United Nations.
6. Germany and Russia (because of it’s early withdrawl from the war and revolutionary
leadership) were deliberately excluded.
7. Germany severely punished ( Art. 231 – “war guilt clause” Placed sole responsibility for
war on Germany. As a result, Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies.
8. As a result of the treaty, Central Powers suffered huge land losses. Several new
countries were created out of the A/H Empire (See before/ after WWI map h/o &
p.426.***)
9. U.S. rejected the treaty. Americans believed that the U.S.’s hope for peace was to stay
out of European affairs.
10. War guilt clause embittered many German people, as well as Allied powers. Other
countries felt cheated and betrayed by the peace settlements. Some (ie Japan and Italy)
entered the war to gain territory, but had gained less than they wanted. (VERY IMPT!!!!
Sets up their position later in WWII (Ch 15 & 16).
11. Settlements at Versailles seen as “a peace built on quicksand”…very unstable!